Liverpool are running away with the league amid Man City’s horror form slump, however the defending champs get a chance to bridge the gap when they take on the Reds to headline this weekend’s English Premier League action. Jack Tobin provides betting previews and tips for the key games in Matchday 13 below!
EPL 2024-25: Matchday 13 Preview & Betting Tips
West Ham vs Arsenal
London Stadium, Sunday 1st December, 4:30am AEDT
Arsenal snapped a four-game winless streak in the Premier League with a convincing 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest. The Gunners controlled proceedings from the outside with 19 shots to Forest’s 7, as well as 67% possession. The most pleasing element for Mikel Arteta’s side was recording their first clean sheet since Matchday 4, as they finally showed glimpses of what made them one of the best defences in the league over the opening month of the season.
West Ham come into this game on the back of an upset win over Newcastle, which was just their fourth win in what has been a tough season. The Hammers have been poor in the defensive third, conceding the sixth most goals in the Premier League (19). West Ham have also struggled to gain any control of tempo of matches, ranking 14th in the league for possession (45.5%).
Arsenal have dominated this fixture over the last eight years, holding an 11-3-2 record across their last sixteen Premier League meetings against West Ham. The Gunners will have a platform to build off after beating an in-form Nottingham Forest, and get an opportunity to push for a spot in the top three if things break their way this weekend. A dangerous Arsenal attacking unit will expose the Hammers defence in a comfortable victory.
Arsenal -1
$2.25 (1 Unit)
Chelsea vs Aston Villa
Stamford Bridge, Monday 2nd December, 12:30am AEDT
A battle of third versus eighth, who are separated by only three points makes Chelsea vs Aston Villa a table shaping clash. Chelsea kept a hold of third place with a 2-1 win over the struggling Leicester, with Chelsea dominating general play winning the shot count 16-4 and registering 64% possession. Aston Villa have slid to eighth place on the table after going four games without a win, however given they are only three points behind Chelsea, they are still in the hunt for top four.
Chelsea’s resurgence this season has been built on a dynamic attacking game led by Cole Palmer. Chelsea rank 3rd for goals (23), with Palmer recording 7 goals and 5 assists, while Nicolas Jackson also scoring 7 goals. Chelsea will be looking to take advantage of a struggling Aston Villa defence that has conceded eight goals across their last three matches, and ranks 15th for goals conceded this season.
Despite their defensive shortcomings, Villa still haven’t had issues finding the back of the net, ranking in the top half of the league with 19 goals this season. All signs point towards a goal frenzy in London on Monday morning, which should suit Chelsea nicely. Six of Aston Villa’s last nine games in the Premier League have seen the total goals reach over 3.5, so that’s where we’ll be going in this clash.
Over 3.5 Total Goals
$2.15 (1 Unit)
Liverpool vs Manchester City
Anfield, Monday 2nd December, 3:00am AEDT
The final game of Matchday 13 presents as one of the most important games of the season. Manchester City’s three game losing streak has seen Liverpool move eight points clear at the top of the table, and breaking away with the title before Christmas. The defending champions are in an unfamiliar situation, with 5 losses and a draw across their last six games in all competitions. The draw came on Tuesday against Feyenoord where they threw away a 3-0 lead after conceding three goals in the final 25 minutes.
On the other hand, Liverpool are absolutely flying, with a 10-1-1 start to the Premier League season as Mo Salah scored in the 65th and 83rd minute to help Liverpool come from behind to beat Southampton 3-2. The Reds are the best defensive team in the league (8 goals conceded) and the second-best attacking team (24 goals scored), as Arne Slot became the equal fastest manager to reach ten Premier League wins.
This is a must win game for City, however any points out of this clash for Liverpool will be a good result, so there is a chance we see them play a more cautious brand of football. These two sides have played in plenty of season defining clashes over the last six years, which have tended to be tight affairs. Four of the last six Premier League matches between Liverpool and City have ended in a draw, including both matches from last season.
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